Needing Mercy
by arealablover
Summary: Mercy was abandoned as a baby, only to be found and raised by Sam. She left when she was fourteen. Seven years later, she is found. But not the same Mercy. Can they help her? On Hiatus
1. only the beginning

_Summary: Margi Thompson never knew about her Great Uncle being a Werewolf. She abandoned Mercy in the Montana Forest. Convincing herself it was for the best. Samuel had followed Margi deep into the forest and watched her leave the child. Thinking of his own children, and this was some how a chance for him to be a father, Samuel took the baby back with him. Raising her as his own. She grew up happy with Samuel as her father, and Charles as her uncle. They taught her well. When she was fourteen when Samuel lost control, only for a moment, but it was enough. Injured and scared Mercy ran away. Seven years later, Bran gets a phone call that will change his world. Mercy has been found. But she isn't the Mercy that left. _

_**Pairing: I'm not sure if there will be a pairing. **_

_**Rating: T just to be safe. **_

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Margi ran her fingers through her light blonde hair trying to calm herself down enough to look at her own child. Taking a deep breath she turned to look at her three month old daughter but only found a coyote wearing her daughter's clothes. "I'm only seventeen. I can't do this." She whispered fiercely to herself before taking the clothed pup out of the car seat. "I love you. I love you so much, but I can barley handle a regular baby, not one changes into a coyote. I just can't handle it." She wrapped the puppy in the pale blanket, hiding her from view before jumping out of the pickup. With one last fortifying breath Margi began to walk into the forest.

As she walked she thought back to her daughter's father. She couldn't remember anything other than his charming smile, and his dark eyes. Shaking herself from her fantasy she made herself think about the reason she had packed her car three days ago and just began to drive winding up in Aspen Creek, Montana. "I was never ready to be a mother. I just wanted to prove to mom and dad that I can take care of myself, and my messes. But this, this is just too much. You turn into a dog for goodness sake. No it will be better this way." She told the whimpering pup. Not long after Mercy fell asleep did she become a human baby. Margi clutched the girl closer to her but kept walking deeper into the wild country. Not realizing she was being followed.

Two more hours passed before Margi knelt down by a large oak tree setting the sleeping child beside her. "There is no place for you in my world. You would only receive rejection, resentment, fear, and heartbreak. No, this will be better. I love you My Mercy." Margi took tiny charm bracelet from her pocket. The light reflected off of the ten silver charms. "This is yours. Your grandmother and I bought a charm for it for every month I carried you. They represent the dreams we had for you." There was a ballerina, a drama mask, an apple, a healer's cross, a firefighter, a soccer ball, paintbrush, a crown, and her name delicately written. They wanted to let her know that she could be anything she wanted to be. Closing her eyes and heart against those dreams she placed the bracelet on the tiny wrist and walked away.

White-blue eyes watched the woman run crying from the bundled child. He waited several minutes after the woman had left his eyesight before approaching the pink bundle. He couldn't place the scent, it wasn't fully human, yet it wasn't werewolf like himself. As if to answer him the child shifted in its sleep, and without waking, the baby became a coyote. He smirked at the ease of her change.

Anger swept through Samuel as he continued to stare at the helpless child as he thought about his own dead children. He couldn't understand why someone, that had been given such a blessing, would just abandon it without a worry about what happened to it.

He knew that the young pup would have a hard life, anywhere, just for being different, but he also knew in that moment that he was at least going to give her the chance to have a life. Grasping the blanket carefully in his inch long teeth Samuel picked up the child, and headed home.

Charles was in his father's study when Samuel came walking in carrying a pink, whimpering bundle. Samuel didn't wait for either men to speak before launching into the story about the child and its mother leaving her for their wild brothers to devour.

"A coyote you say?" Bran Cornick, the Marrok of North America, couldn't help but see the sadness in his oldest son's eyes disappear a little as he stare at young Mercy. It was because of that look that Bran even considered to bring a Coyote into his terroriy. "Yes sir. It was amazing. It was like breathing for her." He told his father without looking up once, his eyes fixed solely on the young child. "The mother just left?" Charles couldn't wrap his mind around the concept no matter what he had seen in his long years. Anger flooded the old werewolf doctor once more. "The woman cried as she walked away, but she still left. Not looking back once."

"You know that a coyote won't be accepted fully among the Pack. You realize this?" Samuel nodded his wolf eyes fixed once more on the child. It seemed to the crowd that Samuel's wolf was determined to protect the little coyote. "I will be all the Pack she will need." He declared fiercely. "Well I guess we need to assemble to Pack and introduce them to Mercy Cornick, my new granddaughter." Somehow the term warmed the old Marrok a little. "Yes. Lets introduce my daughter." Samuel whispered smiling at the tiny sleeping child.

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_**PLEASE REVIEW!!! Do you love it? Hate it? Should I continue? **_


	2. Bonding experience

**Bran walked into Samuel's home smirking. He could hear Mercy crying from his house. Samuel was pacing the living room frantically bouncing the crying infant, looking completely unsure and rattled. "Trouble?" Bran asked taking the child from him. The moment Mercy was settled in the older werewolf's arms her cries stopped. "You have got to be kidding. How did you do that?" Samuel demanded before dropping into a near-by chair completely exhausted. He honestly didn't know how humans did it. "What can I say, kids love me." Bran commented as he just stared at the child. **

"**Yea, yea. Who knew one little coyote would be so much trouble?" Samuel joked but Bran could tell that he loved every minute of being a father. "Does she have a bottle ready?" Bran scanned the room for one. "Yea hang on." Samuel moved with a grace most men his size were not capable of.**

**He walked back into the room testing the milk on his arm. Bran couldn't help but smile. "What?" Samuel had caught the smile. "Nothing, it's good to see you like this. You look like natural." Samuel just nodded because they both knew how much being a father meant to him. "Do you really think that the rest of the pack will be unfair to her?" The Marrok merely sighed knowing that the fired-up reactions and rejections of the pack had hit him hard, but he didn't want to lie to him. "Listen, even in the wild wolves don't usually tolerate coyotes in their territory. What we asked of them was to go against their nature. I do think that she will have a rough life here among our kind, but I also know that you will make her life better. Like you said. We will be all the pack she will ever need." Smiling Bran handing back the now smiling little girl back his son. **

**The moment she was settled back in her 'father's' arms she began to scream until he fed her the bottle, which she took happily. Samuel just stared at his father exasperatedly. "It's a bonding experience." He joked slightly before retreating back to his own home leaving the new family. **

"**It will be ok little one. You will see. I promise." His dark eyes met hers as he began to sing the lullaby his own mother had sang to him all those years ago. **

"_**Golden slumbers kiss your eyes,Smiles await you when you rise;Sleep, pretty baby,Do not cry,And I will sing a you know not, therefore sleep;While I watch over you do not weep;Sleep, pretty loved one,Do not cry,And I will sing, I will sing,I will sing a lullaby."**_

**He just smiled as her eyes had closed while he sang but the moment he stopped she started to wail once again. Yep he really didn't understand how humans could do it. Smiling he just began to sing again. **

**Charles walked into his brother's house his arms loaded down with all kinds of baby supplies. "What can all can a baby need?" He asked in his usual somber tone. Samuel just gave his brother a smile before signaling him to be quiet pointing at the finally sleeping child in his arms. Samuel walked away placing the tiny girl in her bedside cradle in his room, before returning to the kitchen. "I never thought she would go to sleep." He confessed before sorting through the bags. "Yea Da mentioned something to that effect." Charles teased. **

"**HA Ha. What all did you bring?" Samuel teased back pulling item after item out of the twenty or so bags now littering the kitchen floor. "Da just told me to get some things for the baby. I didn't know what all she needed. So I got a little of everything." Samuel could tell that even his brother was happy for the new addition, even if the rest of the pack wasn't. He pulled out 13 cans of baby food, 10 bags of diapers, 5 new bottles, two packages of bibs, several rattles and pacifiers. When he came to a soft pink and brown teddy bear Samuel just looked at his brother. "Aww, Charles you big softly." He teased making the bear wave at him. "Shut up." The half Indian growled. "Here why don't you go put this in here cradle, while I start putting this away." He handed the bear to Charles before opening cabinets. **

**Sighing Charles grabbed the bear and left the room. He didn't want his brother to know that he was afraid to be around the child. He was afraid Brother Wolf would attack the tiny coyote. He walked into the dark room and trudged toward the baby's side. He could hear her breathing softly, little tiny baby snores. He couldn't help but think it was cute. He noticed his brother had dressed her in a tiny pink outfit. He smiled as she slipped into her coyote form not even waking. He dropped the bear into the cradle before carefully taking the pink shirt from the furry puppy, not wanting her to be uncomfortable. **

**It wasn't until the shirt was dropped to the floor did he notice that Mercy hadn't whimpered or woken up while he was in the room. There were full grown werewolves that couldn't claim the same. Something about that soothed Brother wolf and himself. He took three steps from the coyote before she woke up and began to scream. Frantically he picked her up trying to quieten her. Samuel came barreling into the room but just stopped and stared at the couple. Charles was sure his eyes were large in panic at the crying child. "Not so funny when you are the one holding her, huh?" He was clearing enjoying Charles's discomfort. "How does she stop?" He demanded in a soothing tone trying not to frighten the child even more. **

**Samuel walked across the room in two strides and took the puppy from his brother. To his amazement the crying stopped. He brought her close to his chest and just allowed her to feel the beat of his heart, lulling her back to sleep. "She will at least make things interesting." Charles commented before leaving. "Let's hope not too interesting." Samuel whispered still troubled by the pack.**

**It was two weeks later before Samuel ventured into town. He could feel hidden eyes on him but didn't care. He was taking Mercy down to Patty's to get formal pictures taken. He wanted to record as much as he could. He was dressed in a sharp fitted black suit and had dressed the tiny girl in a frilly pink and black dress, Leah, Marrok's usually snotty wife, had brought for Mercy. She held her bear in a tight grip refusing to let it be left behind. **

**He pulled in and noticed three other cars. He wasn't going to let the possibility of a conflict ruin this big day. He got out of his truck and immediately three pack members emerged from inside patties. Two males and one female. He ignored them as he walked around his truck to get his little girl. "She isn't like us. She will never be like us. Why save her. We protect out own." Hudson, a new wolf clipped out angrily. He was dominant but no nearly as so as Samuel. Samuel whirled around and glared, his eyes fading in the white blue of his wolf. " She is my daughter now. Do not speak against her again." He growled as Hudson bared his throat in submission before turning back to his friends. Baring his teeth to the remaining two they quickly got into their vehicles and sped away. **

**Samuel had to take a moment to settle down before he unbuckled Mercy's car seat and took her inside. She just giggled up at him making the rest of his bad mood disappear. **

"**Well well well. So this is the little Coyote that is making all the fuss." Miss Patty cooed softly from her perch behind the counter. Patty's father was a werewolf, but the tiny blonde woman had no desire to become or marry one. "Yes, ma'am this is Mercy. Can you say hi Mercy." Samuel took the child from the car seat as she just smiled at the woman. "She's a cutie." Patty declared before ushering the two back into the studio. **

**An hour, a roll, and many laughs later the trio emerged, Mercy now a coyote tucked neatly under Samuel's chin. She still had Patty's birdie firmly in her mouth. Samuel strapped her back into her car seat the best he could, leaving the car seat on the floor before turning back to Patty. He noticed Sarah and her daughter Payton in the waiting room. Sarah had been changed two years before when her daughter was only four years old. "Hello Sarah. Payton." He greeted politely but could sense the anger and disgust rolling off the werewolf, who smiled politely in return. Payton walked over to Mercy and began to pet her gently grinning back up to her mother. Once Sarah realized what Payton was doing she snatched her away. "We don't associate with Coyotes. They're below us." She hissed to the child. Samuel didn't want to growl and scared the already frightened Payton so he kept his thoughts to himself as he picked up Mercy and left. **


	3. Truth hurts

Samuel woke suddenly and it took him a moment to recognize his cell phone ring tone. Growling slightly he shifted his weight so not to wake the year old little girl cuddled into his side. He picked up the phone quickly. "What?" He all but snarled. "Samuel, Sarah's little girl is sick and she needs help. I'm sending Charles over to watch over Mercy. I will meet you at Sarah's." Bran hung up before Samuel could get a word in. Instantly awake he dressed in yesterday's jeans. He was pulling on a new tee shirt when Charles breezed into the bedroom. He took one look at the sleeping girl on his bed and just shook his head smiling. "You do know she has her own bed right." He joked. "I like to see you resist her pouty look." Samuel quipped back. He kissed Mercy's forehead before slipping out of the door. Charles settled into the rocking chair ready for a quiet night.

Fifteen minutes later Mercy rolled over expecting to hit her father but when she only found air she sat up. "Daddy?" She rubbed her eyes still half asleep. "Shh, it's ok." He cooed taking her into his arms before she began to cry. He wrapped her in a soft pink blanket, handed her the pink and brown teddy bear she refused to go anywhere without, and sat back into the rocking chair.

They had just been settled for a few minutes when Mercy started to cry. Charles tried to give her a bottle. She just threw it to the ground and kept crying. "What is it? " Charles frantically looked around the room for a clue. Just then the old werewolf started to smell a nasty ripe stench coming from the infant. "Oh no." He groaned knowing exactly what was wrong. . "Oh I'm sure you're enjoying this." He muttered.

"I'm over two hundred years old. I'm a werewolf. I've killed more than I can count. I can make grown men cower and run for cover. I can change a diaper." He scolded himself before laying the child on changing table. Mercy just started to giggle once he had her on the table. He merely raised an eyebrow before starting.

"There. That wasn't so bad." Charles grinned triumphantly. He held the girl out in front of him smiling at his success. Mercy just smiled as the diaper simply slid off and she just peed right then and there. The child just giggled, delighted in her mess. "Really? Do you do this to Samuel?" He asked setting the girl down to clean the mess and replace the diaper. "It wasn't that funny." He informed her smiling.

He once again settled in the rocking chair almost waiting for her to start crying again. When she didn't he began to rock, and began to think. How were they really going to take care of this little girl? What were they going to tell her once she's old enough to understand she's different? What will they tell her when she asks about her mother? About her past?

"I don't know what the future holds for us kiddo, but one things for sure I will be here for you. No matter what. I promise." He whispered holding the child closer, and drifted to sleep himself.

"Awwww." Samuel taunted from the door way almost four hours later. The two newcomers looked completely exhausted. Charles just growled softly before placing the sleeping child back in her cradle. The moment his hands left her Mercy sat up and began to scream but stopped as soon as Charles picked her up again. "Looks like Charles made a new friend." Charles just smiled down at the tiny girl that continued to snuggle deeper into his warmth. "So it seems." he whispered trying to rein in these overbearing feelings of affection and protection.

-----------------THRITEEN YEARS LATER-----------------------

Mercy pulled out her copy of the 'Captive Princess' by Maxine shore, and settled under the large pine that grew behind the school. It was the hour between school and when she had be home was when she truly felt at peace. Mercy was able, for a little while, get away from the torments of her classmates and the glare of Leah, her grandfather's wife.

Mercy had smelt the three older kids close in on her before she actually saw them. Payton Merling, James Anderson, and Parker Clevse. All three children of werewolves, and all three hated her absolutely. For a reason completely unknown to Mercy who didn't truly know her past. "Ah look at this guys, Little Mercy Cornick is reading." James the obvious leader of the trio taunted. "Awww did she want to be left alone." Parker snickered. Mercy just quietly packed the book away into her bag not taking her eyes off the potential threats. "Yes I did." Mercy stood to her full 5'1" height. "Ohhh. I'm scared now." Payton made a show of shaking. "I don't get you. Why do you stay here? You know that you aren't welcome. No one not even The Marrok and his sons want you. They just felt sorry for you." Mercy just stared at the pale boy in front of her. His blue eyes just held ridicule and mockery for her. "What are you talking about James. My family.." "WRONG!" Parker cut in clearly enjoying himself. "No one was allowed to tell you. But we think that its time you knew the truth. I mean it's just cruel to let you go through life this way. To live in a community that hate you and not know why. Didn't you ever wonder why little coyote, why everyone hates you? Huh?" The taunting was nothing new to Mercy but there was something more to his words tonight, some underlying current that hadn't been there before.

"Whatever." mercy grabbed her book bag and began to turn away when Parker blocked her. "You know you're curious. Just ask your Father, if you really believe he is, about your mother. Ask him why there are no pictures of her. Or of you being born. Ask him why you are a coyote. Everyone knows that werewolves' children are only human. Pure human." James just smirked at Mercy's glare before allowing her by. "Ask him. Ask them all." He taunted to her back. Mercy just broke into a run. Suddenly desperate to find her family and beg them to tell her that none of it as true.

Samuel, Charles, and Bran were all gathered inside of Charles's living room going over the plans for the annual Alpha gathering when Mercy came barreling through the door. Her long hair had come loose slightly from its braid giving her a wild look. "I need to ask you something. I need the complete truth. Okay." The three men were suddenly alert. "Okay sweetie." Samuel told her calmly. Mercy nodded several times, dropped her backpack and began to pace in front of fire place.

The men waited anxiously almost afraid to move, growing more wary each with each passing moment. Suddenly she stopped and faced them, her dark eyes betraying now of the raging emotions the three werewolves could smell rolling off of her. Fear, anger, sadness, betrayal and hurt. "What is my mother's name?" The question caught them all off guard. Of all the things they thought she would be stressing over this wasn't even among them.

Mercy had never asked about her mother before. She had known about Samuel's other wives dieing and had always assumed the same had happened to her own. But now she needed to know the truth. "What is this really all about?" Samuel asked as his eyes began to lighten. The wolf inside didn't like the idea of his daughter hurting for any reason. " You don't know do you?" Her voice was so small as she sunk to the floor. She felt her entire world shift on its axis. Mercy stared at the man that had raised her. "All this time. All these years. After all the tears and rejection you knew. You knew why they hated me. But you never told me. Never once did you tell me WHY!. Why didn't you tell me?!" She demanded leaping to her feet. Betrayal flooded her system. "It was for the best." Samuel answer slowly getting to his feet, unsure of how his tiny shifter daughter was going to react. "The best thing. Really. I came home crying everyday for years. I never knew why the kids hated me on sight. And now you tell me if was for the best. Because it wasn't certainly the best for me."

"What was I suppose to do. Tell you that your mother didn't want you. That I watched her as she drove into Aspen Creek. I could see the tears on her face through the windshield. Should I have told you that I followed her as she marched into the forest. Should I have told you that she just put you down, and cried a little. That I watched her place the bracelet on your wrist. She said it was from your grandmother and her. Should I have told you that I watched as she walked away, and didn't look back once, not caring if you were eaten. Was I suppose to tell you that many of our pack wanted to kill you. A three month old child, but they didn't care. They wanted you dead just because you could shift into a coyote. How was suppose to tell you that? We love you so much. That's all that matters. You are my daughter." Samuel declared vehemently.

"YES YOU SHOULD HAVE TOLD ME! YOU! I SHOULDN'T HAVE TO HEAR THIS FROM KIDS AT SCHOOL! I DESERVED TO KNOW WHY!" Her chest heaved violently with her outburst.

"Don't speak to your father that way." Charles snapped sharply. Leah decide to float into the room at that moment, she always loved to watch the little coyote get into trouble. "So they finally told you. Finally. Though personally I wished that Samuel had never found you." She purred in her over-sweet voice. "Stay out of this." Bran commanded not looking away from his granddaughter.

"We're your family, despite not being blood." Bran explained calmly trying to diffuse the situation. Mercy just turned her eyes towards him not caring about the Werewolf eye challenge. "You always told me that you would never lie to me. You always said that lies, even those of omission, led to trouble. Guess what Grandpa you were right. And you.." She turned towards her uncle. "You taught me the secret ways of the Indian. You taught me about the rights of the forest, but not once did you hint at this. This open secret the pack seemed to have about me. Why?" The emotion in her voice almost made the hardened assassin want to beg for forgiveness of their deception. But no answer came from any of them. "What family does that? You aren't my family." She whispered and tried to edge around her growling father.

Samuel instinctually reached out and clung to her wrist unaware of his strength. "You will take that back. We are your family. We love you." He growled causing her to whimper enraging his wolf even more. The sound of a crack flooded the quiet room, before Mercy's whimpers became grunts of pain. "DROP HER!" Bran yelled to his older son springing into action. Samuel just stared in shock at his father felt the girl's wrist, which even he could tell was broken. Oh what had he done. "I'm so sorry." He whispered again.


	4. What have i done

_**Author NOTE: She doesn't know her mother's name. The reason she picked the last name 'Thompson' is purely coincidental.**_

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Muted voices brought Mercy out of her drugged haze. For a moment she had forgotten what had happened, but once she felt the shooting pain rip through her arm she knew it was true. The lies, the truth, the betrayal, and her broken wrist. She knew in that instant that she couldn't stay there. She couldn't stay where she wasn't wanted or belonged. She couldn't deal with looks of malice and pity she was sure to get tomorrow at school from her classmates. It would be all over the pack by the morning what had happened. No she couldn't do it.

She bit her tongue against the sure of pain she felt as she began to creep around her room. She packed two change of clothes, her stash of allowance (almost seven hundred dollars), and her favorite book. The three framed pictures on her nightstand stopped her cold. The first was just of her and Samuel. She was only a few months old. The second was at her sixth birthday party. The four were smiling at the camera from behind the large birthday cake. Paint from the paintball war was still fresh on their faces, and new cloths. None of them cared. The third was just the three Cornick men. Mercy could remember taking the picture only last year in front of the tree fort she had made herself. She removed the pictures from their frames, shoving them into her cast without stopping to think.

"Note." she whispered to herself. Pulling out a sheet of paper she began to write.

"Dad, Charles, and Granddad,

I just can't stay here. You know this. I don't know if or when I will be back. I have to figure out things for myself. I have to find where I really belong. I may even look for my mother. Goodbye for now. I'm angry and hurt but I still love you.

Love, Mercy."

With one last look at her room, grabbed the shabby brown and pink teddy bear and snuck out of her window. Without looking back she walked away from the only life she had only known. As she neared the road she knew from the gut wrenching howl let her know that they found her note. Mercy picked up her pace knowing they would catch up with her. Soon.

Headlights blinded her just as she hit the pavement. Mercy frantically waved the van down as the howls of her family drew closer. The van came to a screeching halt just feet from the fourteen year old runaway. The side door opened and out popped two burly men. It was at that instant that she smelt that they were both werewolves. She smelt their excitment. "Need a ride honey?" They sneered. Without giving the young coyote a chance to run they grabbed her. Mercy began to scream, from the pain of them jostling her broken wrist, and from the fear of the men grabbing her. Just as the doors closed and the tires began to peel out by the third werewolf Mercy saw Charles, Bran, and Samuel came stumbling onto the black top still in human form. They chased the van but were quickly out run by the vehicle.

"Daddy, help." she whispered completely regretting leaving, and began to pray that they would find her.

"That was just too easy. I figured we would have to wait at least a little while after the last one. But this one here, this sweet little one, just popped out. Universe is smiling on us tonight." The driver snickered evilly. "What is your name honey?" The youngest looking of the three asked. He seemed kinder somehow then his comrades. "Mercedes. Mercedes Thompson." She refused to let them use her against her family. Mercy Cornick was dead.

"We have to find her! I can't lose her too!" Samuel fell to his knees on the highway just watching at the fading taillights. "I just can't lose her. She's my little girl." He felt the tears run down his cheeks but he didn't care. He couldn't take his eyes off the distance even when the lights were out of sight. "We will. Samuel. I promise. We will find her." Charles and Bran stared at each other over his head vowing to each other that the Marrok's words were true. They weren't going to give up. "Everything will be ok, Sam. I promise." Charles sank to the ground beside his brother and gathered him into his arms. In an unusual display of emotion Samuel clung to his little brother and together the two brothers wept. None of the men said a word, just allowing their sobs echo in the silent night.

"She doesn't smell purely human. But she doesn't smell like werewolf either." The so-far silent captor hissed to the driver as Mercy pretended to sleep. "She has to be one or the other." The driver told him not bothering to keep his voice down. "Kevin, I know the difference." The passenger scoffed before heading back to the cargo hold, where they had Mercy tied up. "What are you, little girl?" Mercy just spit at the man. "Ah this one has some fire. I like that. I think we are going to have a lot of fun with this one boys." He laughed evilly before backhanding the helpless tied girl. "Preston, knock it off." the kind younger boy defended her. "What little Mickey doesn't like the new little toy being slapped?" Preston taunted before backhanded the girl once more. The pain caused her coyote to come out. "Looks like we have are really fun toy." Preston taunted once more before going back to the front seat. "Daddy." Mercy whispered tearfully before allowing herself to drift into the darkness.

"Do you think that we will actually find her? Alive?" Charles stared at his father as he paced in front of the roaring fire. They all knew that Bran only lit the fire when he was really worried. "They smelt Wolf. If they discover that she is in fact a Coyote…" Charles didn't like his father trailing off. "They may kill her." It wasn't a question. "Even our wild brothers don't stand Coyotes in their territories." Bran commented suddenly glad that they sedated Samuel. "It won't be a question if they will kill her, its when, and what they will do to her in between. She's a young, beautiful fourteen year old girl. Coyote or not these men…They picked up….They may…" Bran collapsed into his chair. "I want my granddaughter found." He didn't sound like the Marrok at all. "She's smart. Resourceful and cunning. She will be fine." Charles didn't know who he was trying to convince him or his father.


	5. Vanish

She could see light from under the closed door. Mercy tried to move around her tiny silver cage but her injuries made her to sore. Mercy just licked the scabbed gashes on her wrists. They had really done a number on her last night. She knew that she had at least two broken ribs, and a severe black eye. She could still feel Preston's breath on her neck while he held her down allowing Kevin to have his fun. She could feel his hand still on her inner thighs and hips. His scent, along with Preston's, still clung to her body. She couldn't suppress the shiver that ripped through her system. She wondered if they would ever fade away now. She had lost track of how much time had passed.

She heard them head towards walk towards the door. That cocky swagger that haunted her nightmares. "Hello Mercedes." Kevin cooed from the top of the stairs. Mercy turned her head away from them in defiance. Showing them despite all that they had done to her, she wouldn't cower to them no matter how much she wanted to. "Look at that Preston. She still has no manners. Not greeting guest as they come into the room. That's just rude." Kevin tutted as he strutted closer to the cage.

"Untie me and I can show you my manners." Mercy growled. "Still so feisty." Preston's voice felt a leer to Mercy. "Tight spaces make me a little cranky." Mercy sneered back fighting back her mounting panic. She could see the lust in their eyes. "We can always fix that." Mercy tried to move into a tighter ball in her tiny cage, wishing somehow that it would protect her from when she knew he meant. With a sadistic smile Preston threw the cage door open. "Come here little Coyote." He coxed before grabbing her exposed wrist, yanking hard. With a practiced ease he had her out of the cage and pinned to the mattress positioned beside it.

Kevin just laughed at the girl's feeble attempts to dislodge Preston from her abused body. "Now now you know better than that." He chided as he placed an iron grip on her shoulders. But despite his grip she still refused just to accept her fate. "I love it when she fights." Preston breathed as he lowered his head towards her thrashing one. She caught his eye and held it. She didn't care about the dominance issues that came with staring contest she just wanted them to know she wasn't broken. He backhanded her fiercely before placing his mouth by her bruised ear. "One day little lady you wont fight." His eyes flashing gold before he stepped away. Mercy glared before spitting blood out on his shoes. "Strap her." He ordered abruptly.

Kevin's smile never wavered as she threw the girl across the basement towards the manacles bolted into the solid steel support beams, leaving a four foot barrier between her and the concrete wall. He shackled her hands and feet in the usual spread eagle fashion. "You know the penalty of that degree of defiance, don't you." Preston's voice was deceptively calm. Mercy stayed quiet, forcing herself to stare at the wall she faced. She couldn't stop the flinch when his voice was suddenly at her ear. "Don't worry. This lesson you won't forget." Kevin, always eager to watch her in pain, stepped forward handing his Alpha a long bullwhip. "This I promise." Then with a flick of his wrist he began. She couldn't stop the gut wrenching scream that was pulled from her throat all the while praying as she always did for her father to find her.

-------------------------------Meanwhile back in Montana-----------------------------------------------------

"Thank you Adam. If you hear anything just give me a call." Bran hung the phone with one of his Washington Alphas. He leaned back in his chair and just sighed. It had been almost nine months since Mercy's disappearance. They seemed to all but vanish. He had called every one of his Alpha. Followed every dead end leads but still found nothing.

Bran rubbed his temple trying in vain to get rid of his headache. "Any news?" Charles sat on the edge of his father's office love seat. "Nothing. How can anyone just disappear? Especially in this day and age?" It was only when he was in his office either alone, or with his sons was he able to show just how frustrated and worried he really was. "I don't know Da." A picture on the Marrok's desk caught Charles's eye. It was taken almost eight years ago after one of Mercy's training lessons. He just stared at the three happy faces grinning at him from the past. Mercy was standing between Charles and Samuel with her arms around their shoulders as they knelt beside her. "I remember this day." Charles whispered. "It was really cold that day but Mercy didn't care…" Suddenly both men were pulled into a long ago memory.

"**_Okay, tell what does your nose tell you?" Bran's gentle voice prodded his young student. "Rabbit!" The six year old screamed delightedly. "Shhh..honey the point is not to let it now you are near." Samuel whispered through his chuckles. "I know daddy." She whined making him smile. "Well I think that is enough for the day. A new wolf should be arriving today. The Moor if I'm not mistaken." Bran left the shock silent trio before making his way back down the mountain. "The Moor? Really Daddy?" Mercy turned her bright brown eyes to her Father. "If Da thinks so then its probably so." Charles told her standing up. _**

**_Mercy suddenly had a wicked idea. She took two running step and shifted before her third and leapt at her unsuspecting Uncle. Mercy hit him full force in the chest just enough to make him stumble a little. Mercy squirmed in the strong grip Charles had on her. "Sneaky little thing aren't you." He commented raising a brow. Mercy just shifted back to human already laughing. Mercy worked her tiny fingers up and down the werewolf's sides. Charles just laughed at the unexpected tickling attack. Allowing her to continue for a moment before falling to the ground. _**

**_Mercy was stunned only for a moment at the sudden movement but was enough. Charles swept her off his stomach and pinned her underneath him, both giggling. "DADDY HELP!" She squealed happily. " Oh no sweetie. You got into this. You can get out of it. Think. He is stronger, and bigger but you are quicker." Samuel coached his little girl trying to keep himself from laughing at the unfolding scene. Mercy smiled from underneath her uncle. She changed quickly to a coyote and before Charles had time to readjust his hold she managed to wiggle out from under him. Howling in delight the whole way. _**

**_Samuel just watched as Mercy dove for cover behind a fallen tree, quickly shifting back to an awkwardly dressed little girl, and while all the while never taking her eyes off her approaching target. He just watched as the gathered and packed several small snowballs. Using what her grandfather had taught her she waited for the right moment. _**

**_Charles had seen her dive behind the log. He crept slowly giving the young coyote a chance to make a run for it. He couldn't help but be proud that she was holding her ground. He was only twenty meters from the girl when he got a face full of snow. "Oh yea, she's one of us." Charles heard his older brother wheeze out between his laughter. "Was there ever any doubt?" Mercy's cocky yet sweet voice floated to him before she actually walked over to the surprised Werewolf. "I love you." She stated sweetly before skipping over to her still laughing father. "You should have seen your face…It was all…." Samuel tried to recreate it but only succeed in laughing more. "Ha ha. Sure laugh it up. I think we should go help Da get the new arrival settled." Charles huffed before stocking away, but turned back winking at Mercy to let her know all was forgiven. "I love you too, Mercy." He yelled over his shoulder as he continued to walk away. Smiling Mercy skipped over and placed her tiny hand inside his larger one. Samuel trailed behind slightly still laughing._**

_"Its funny the things we remember." Charles commented as he was brought back to reality. A ghost of a smile crossed the Marrok's lips only to fall off seconds later as the phone rang. "It really is." He whispered to his younger son before picking up the annoying cell phone, becoming the Marrok once more._


	6. Broken toy

88888888888888----SIX MONTHS LATER--8888888888

Mickey crept downstairs with a bowl full of hot water. He had become quite attached to the tiny defiant coyote over the several months. Even from the stairs he could hear her tiny groans of pain. "Oh little one." He gave a tiny sad smile. "You should know better than to bite him." He chastised softly as he walked closer, but the young girl just smiled up at him through her busted lip and swollen eye. He could see the triumph in her eyes. "He deserved it." She gave another small smile before dissolving into a wince. Mickey couldn't help but remember the look on Kevin's face when she had bit him while he was trying to get her out of the cage. Her claws made four long cuts across his broad cheek. If he weren't a werewolf he would've had to go to the hospital.

"That maybe so. But you know that he will only make things worse for you now." Mickey pointed out as he place the damp hot cloth on her bruised face. "You know the only reason he didn't hurt you more last night was because Preston wouldn't allow him. Afraid that she would've killed you in his rage." Mickey sighed once more. "I just want to go home." Mickey turned his dark green eyes back to her dark chocolate eyes and was almost sick at the amount of pain that was hidden there. She suddenly sounded just like a scared fifteen year old girl. "I know you do." Mickey made his hands busy with doctoring the other scabbed injuries. "They will never let me go will they." It wasn't a question.

All of the girl's just like Mercedes that had been killed by his brother and Kevin flashed before his eyes. Hundreds of them over the years. They were always young, and pretty. They always fought in the beginning. But none of them escaped. None of them lived. "Even if they were through with their games, they still wouldn't let me go. I'm a coyote. Wolves kill coyote. I am going to die here." It was the first time that the girl showed any kind of defeat. He turned his head so he couldn't' see the salty tears he smelt. "Maybe it won't turn out like that this time. Maybe not for you." For a moment Mickey didn't know who he was trying to convince, Her or himself.

"Why do you stay with them?" Her voice had become a whisper. "You dominant enough to join a different pack. You're different than them. Your not sick. Or take pleasure in other's pain." Mickey couldn't' look at the wounded girl. "You don't know me that well little one." He admitted sadly, still staring at her bandages. "I know that you help me. You make sure I have something to eat, and something to drink. You clean my wounds. Your not like them." She proclaimed seriously.

"He's my brother. He's family. Family sticks together." He replied sadly before walking out of basement. Hoping that he was right. Hoping that they didn't kill the young girl, and he began to pray that she wouldn't turn into the broken, dull eyed shell that he watched all the other girls turn into. He didn't want that for her.

888888888888888------5 ½ years later----8888888888

"Just get rid of it. I mean she's no fun anymore." Kevin and Preston were in the living room trying to decide on what should become of captive coyote. "This is true." Preston agreed in a bored tone as if they were talking about the weather. "We should have done it a long time ago." Kevin continued without looking up from his Wii game. "Yea, but Little Mickey has a soft spot for her. Papa made me promise to look after him. Damn kid, is a burden sometimes." Preston sighed slightly annoyed. "But it was fun while it lasted." Kevin gave a nasty smile, but chuckling at the poor girl's treatment. " She lasted longer than the other did. Humans are so fragile. I figured she would last a little longer since she was a coyote and all but I never expected to last this long." Preston was secretly impressed at the strength of the young girl, but even he could see that she was broken now. It took them almost seven years but it happened. They had finally broken their toy. Leaving it useless, and dull.

"I say we tie her to the post in Porter's bay at the next full moon." Preston could see the blood lust raging in his second in command. "I think that will be simply delightful." A different kind of lust slammed into the Alpha at the mere thought of the girl tide to the post, outside. Exposed. Completely helpless. "I'll be back." He called over his shoulder abruptly but caught the knowing smile on Kevin's handsome face.

Preston strutted down the basement steps slowly giving the creature huddled in the tiny cage time to watch his approach. "Good evening." His native Irish accent slipped though slightly. He smiled as she just curled deeper within herself, desperately trying to protect herself. "I told you that one day you wouldn't fight me." He loved to watch the shudders that attacked her body as he laughed.

With practiced ease he stuck his hand into the cage and pulled her out, before throwing her onto the worn mattress. He sighed slightly when she didn't fight back, just continued to shake. He missed her feisty retorts and squirming. "Change." He growled. Staying silent, with her eyes closed Mercy allowed her body to shift back to human. Preston smirked at her naked, scarred body. She had stopped wearing clothing almost two years ago, knowing that she would change back to the coyote once she was thrown back in the cage anyway.

He inhaled deep as the intoxicating scent of her fear and shame rolled off of her in waves. He always enjoyed this part, the tense moments before the actual deed. Smirking he positioned himself between her legs, ignoring her silent whimpers just before he entered her roughly and without mercy. He flipped her over onto her hands and knees, dominating. Unrelenting. Howling in his own pleasure.

He just stood and stared down at the broken girl once he was finished. He couldn't help but be slightly proud of what he had reduced her to. "It was fun while it lasted, but like all good things it must come to an end." He chuckled once again just to watch the shudders. "Full moon is only four days away. This time you will be joining us." He taunted before he threw her in the cage once more. He knew she knew what that meant. Her death. He laughed cruelly as he walked back up the stair turning out the lights as he went. Making the room dark except the once tiny window that showed the moon. Her constant reminder of the monsters that kept her.

Mickey came down the narrow stairs cradling a bowl of meager scraps that was the young girl's dinner. Mickey couldn't believe that this was the same young fiery girl that they had kidnapped almost seven years ago. He carefully sat the bowl down just inside the door before hurriedly latching the door once more. The action however was unnecessary. Mercy didn't uncurl from her protective position until the door was safely closed and latched once more. Mickey watched Mercy and was ashamed of how long he had sat by and watched his brother and Kevin treat the girl as they did. He can still hear her screams of pain and fear long after she stopped screaming. She was pitiful now. Skittish, broken, and silent. No more retorts or angry quips. He had heard what Preston and Kevin were planning to do and he knew he had to do something. Save her somehow.

He watched her eat like the starved animal she was. "I am going to help you." He whispered as a new found courage came over him. He knew that what he was planning could very well get him killed, but he owed her at least that much. He owed her to as least try. Gripping tightly to the reckless courage he bounded upstairs to put into motion a dangerous plan. He couldn't help but smile at the thought of going against his brother after 200 years.

The Sandy haired werewolves thanked whatever gods were listening when he noticed both Kevin and Preston were out of the house. He quickly dialed the number of an Alpha he had met several decades ago. One he hoped would be able to help. He just hoped Adam Hauptman answered before he lost his nerve.

Adam stared at the caller ID not recognizing the number. He thought of ignoring it but thought better of it. "Hello." He was greeted by a sigh of relief then silence. Almost as if the caller had changed their mind. "Hello?" He tried again. "Yes, sir. I'm looking for Adam Hauptman."

"Speaking." another sigh.

"Sir. My name isn't important at this time." Adam could hear the nerves in his voice.

"Why is that?" "You are not my Alpha, and I'm not entirely sure if you can help me. But I am hoping that you will know someone that can if you can't." "Can you tell me what it is I am suppose to help you with?" Adam could feel dread build in his gut telling him he wasn't going to like what he was about to hear.

"You see. I only have three wolves in my pack. My brother is our Alpha, and his Second is someone we were humans together. We have been together for so long. But I couldn't stand aside any longer. Not when they are going to….I just couldn't let them." Adam could hear the werewolf sniff as if to ward off tears. "Who is going to do what?" The Alpha tried to pry once more.

"They are going to kill her." It was then the caller broke down into tears.

"Who is going to kill who?" He tried once more, slightly anxious.

"The coyote." the two words brought Adams' world to a stand still. Wondering if it was the same Coyote that Bran had been looking for all these years.

"What is the Coyote's name?" His voice was demanding, taking on his Alpha tone.

"Mercedes. She called herself Mercedes." Adam almost dropped the phone.

"Where are you? Who is keeping her? Is she ok?" Adam couldn't get the questions out fast enough.

"My name is Mickey Anderson. We are living in Canute, Washington."

"Is she ok?" He needed to know.

"She's alive." Was all he said.

"How long?" Mickey knew what Adam was asking.

"They plan to kill her on the full moon." Adam cursed.

"Thank you." Adam whispered.

"Good luck." Mickey told him before hanging up.

For a moment Adam just stared at the phone. Praying that it wasn't a dream, or a cruel joke. That Mercy really was alive, and so close. He could be there within five hours. He remembered the young girl he had met at an Alpha meeting so many years ago. His mind shuttered against thinking about the horrors she must have lived through these missing years. He picked up his cell phone and dialed his old friend's number, elated to finally report encouraging news.

"Hello." Bran answered on the first ring, like he always did.

"Hello Mr. Cornick, sir." Despite being friends for forty years Adam couldn't shake the courtesy the military had drove into him.

"Adam, this is unexpected." Adam heard the rustling of papers, and the quiet mutterings of his two sons in the background.

"Sir I have news." All sounds stopped.

"yes?" He could hear the hope in the old werewolves' voice.

"Sir, I just got a phone call from a Mickey Anderson." Adam had to take a deep breath to calm himself enough to share the news. "Yes." Bran prompted.

"Sir, he called to tell me that his brother, the Alpha of their three wolf pack, was going to kill a girl."

"And." Bran cut in when Adam paused.

"Sir, the girl is a coyote named Mercedes. I think we found her sir."


	7. Forgotten treasures

Bran held the phone away from his ear so he could stare at it. Wondering if he had truly just heard the words he has longed for. He could feel Samuel and Charles staring at him. For seven years he had been given so many dead end, and false clues but some how this felt different. He could feel the hope that had dimmed over the years start flaming up again.

"Where?" His voice rough with the held back emotion.

"Canute. Sir. Its only a five hour drive from here."

"We will fly out within the hour. We will meet you in Canute." Bran gave a quick goodbye before hanging up. Bran stared at his two sons as they waited for him to speak. They had heard what Adam had said, but they wanted him to confirm it. For him to tell them that the hope they felt was rational, and was okay. They wanted him to tell them that he knew for certain that this girl was their Mercy. He couldn't, because of all the dead ends, false leads, and false hope. Despite the fact he felt his own hope rising. He couldn't do that to his sons. He wouldn't put them through it again. So he gave a smile before walking out.

No one had spoken since Bran had hung up with Adam almost four hours ago. The only sounds had been the mutterings of the pilots, and the few words at the car rental counter. Each of the men were lost deep within their own thoughts.

Bran stared in his rental car's rearview mirror at his oldest son. His face was etched with grief but the Marrok could see the faint trace of hope. "What if this is just another dead end? What if it really isn't Mercy? What if this girl is already dead? Or what if this is a trap? I mean it is the perfect bait. Everyone knows just how much Mercy meant to us." Charles could no longer hold his thoughts to himself as they raced down the interstate. By the look on Samuel's face the same thoughts were racing through his mind.

"We can never be sure if it a trap, but Adam is an old wolf. He would be able to tell of this Mickey was lying over the phone. And wither or not the girl turns out to be Mercy it is our duty to save her. Every girl we save in some way its Mercy." Both of the Cornick son's could see the passion and conviction in their father's eyes. "We will find her in time." Samuel whispered fiercely. The group fell silent once more, none of them wanting to let the others know their doubts about the girl being their beloved Mercy, or the doubts of Mercy even still being alive.

Bran pulled into the Marriott hotel a few minutes later. The men could feel the stares from the humans as they stepped out of the sedan. They just ignored the stares and walked inside. Behind the counter was pretty blonde the perked up as she saw her late night guests. "Hello, My name is Carrie. What can I do for you?" Her voice was a seductive purr. "I have a reservation under Cornick." Bran's voice was polite but distant. "Here you are. Three rooms." She tried once more but when Bran handed her his card without any hint of interest she deflated. "Thank you. Have a good night." She handed him their keys with a forced smile.

"Women, whether human or wolf, are always throwing themselves at you, Da." Charles cracked a smirk as he followed his father down the hallway. "What can I say? When you got it you got it." Bran teased back. "Adam will be here soon with a few of his wolves. We will meet back in here in an hour and a half. Go get cleaned up and changed." With that men went their separate ways ready to be alone with their thoughts.

The hotel room grew crowded as the seven wolves piled in. They were all anxious to see how it was all going to pan out. "Who are these wolves?" Bran directed at Adam. "The caller identified himself as Mickey Anderson. We have no record of a Mickey Anderson. However Ben, here, however, found a Preston Anderson, who went through the change almost 215 years ago. Kevin O'Leary, a childhood friend of Preston, was Changed only weeks later. Preston, according to records, stayed around the family farm in Ireland for four years waiting for his brother Michael to be old enough to go through the Change as well, since he was his only family left. Over the next hundred and fifty years young girls from all over Europe disappear only to be found months, or years later. Hundreds of miles away. All of them brutalized, tortured, raped, and dead. Each one of them had a crescent moon burned into their skin, just below the left ear. Usually fresh. Then about fifty years ago they just drop off the map. I believe it's the same group." Adam reported sadly. He knew that Bran had heard the same sadistic tales of Preston Anderson.

"So you think that this, this deranged asshole that should have been killed years ago is the same one that has this girl that could be Mercy. Our Mercy! Is this what you are telling me?" The others could feel Charles's power rise as he began to lose control of his rage. "Charles." The one word from his father silenced and calmed him. The enforcer sat back down but his eyes still held fire. "Please continue." Bran mentioned for Adam to continue. "Yes." He simply stated. "Adam have your Ben find an address. We go in at dawn. They will be tired and have their guard down." The power in the Marrok's voice was making the air in the room sizzle. "May god help them if it is our Mercy." He no longer sounded like the calm, level headed Bran Cornick. He was completely the MARROK.

* * *

Mickey slipped downstairs quietly. He held his bundle to his chest not wanting to drop anything. "Mercedes?" He just stared as the moonlight bounced off her eyes. She truly was stunning. "I brought you something." He opened the cage door and swiftly placed his cargo inside. The girl stared at the blue battered backpack before recognition dawned. It was the same backpack she had with her all those years ago. The coyote became human once more. Her matted chocolate hair shielded her battered body from Mickey's view, but she was too distracted to care. She reached out her shaking hands almost afraid that it would disappear. "I thought they threw it away." Her voice was a rough whisper. Mickey couldn't hide his wince. It was the first time she had spoken in months. He couldn't help but smile. Maybe she wasn't as broken as he thought. Mickey couldn't bear to tell her that they always keep the possessions to make sure the bodies are identified.

With a shaking hand she unzipped and pulled out a blood stained rag that took her moment to identify. The old brown and pink bunny. Suddenly she was assaulted with a memory of a pair of soft brown laughing eyes. She could see the love inside of them, but she couldn't place who they belonged to. She remembered laugher. So much laughter. "There's more." Mickey's soft voice barely registered. Without loosing her grip on the dirty bunny she dug her hands in once more only to find three faded, slightly worn pictures.

There were the brown eyes again. Charles. Her mind started racing. Granddad Bran. Daddy. They were all there. Her family. It was real. She hadn't only dreamed them. She hadn't just dreamt a life before the pain. She smiled softly. She shifted pictures. Suddenly found herself staring at a smiling wide eyed child. Paint splattered across the girls cheeks but she didn't seem to care. She stared at the men staring down at the child. There was no malice. No anger or lust. There was only love, and laughter. There was only happiness. Mercy felt a tear streak down her cheek but she didn't wipe it away. She knew the girl was her. She shifted to the last picture. There was her daddy again with a tiny girl. The girl hung onto the same brown and pink bunny. But that one had no blood stains or tears. That one didn't hold the scent of terror or pain. She couldn't help but smile at the gift.

She clung the pictures to her. They gave her comfort. But a thought suddenly demanded to be acknowledged. She turned her head to Mickey and stared at him, careful not to reach his eyes. "Why now? Why give these to me now?" He saw the questions burning in her eyes, and behind her silent lips. He couldn't tell her right then that he had called in help, not with Preston just upstairs, and he didn't want to give her false hope in case Adam didn't make it in time. "The full moon is in three days. I thought you might like to have them before…." He trailed off and looked away. She nodded at him but her eyes were back on the photos. She remembered. For a moment she had been able to forget that she was about to die. He left suddenly feeling as he were intruding on something intimate. Mercy never heard him leave.

Mercy couldn't believe how much she had forgotten as she stared into her father's face. The exact color of his pale eyes. The way his eyes lit up when he smiled. She couldn't help but wonder if they even remembered her after all this time. Would they even recognize her body. She traced their faces with her broken nails with a slight smile. If she was going to die, at least she got to see them once last time. Her family. Clinging to the pictures, and bunny and the past they represented Mercy slipped back into coyote, and fell asleep. For the first time in as long as she can remember she didn't dream of pain.

She found herself racing across the Montana mountain with three werewolves on her trail. But she wasn't afraid. She only felt love, laughter, and complete. She was safe, and happy. She was home again. She didn't care it was only a dream.


	8. New players

The sound of the front door slamming signaled Kevin was back from getting food. But it was the rage rolling off of the werewolf that made Preston race to his side.

"What has happened?" Preston couldn't fathom what could've cause such rage in his oldest friend.

"The bitch needs to die. Tonight. And we need to move on." Preston just stared at his second for a moment in shock.

"Why?" Something in his voice made Preston anxious.

"Remember when we grabbed the girl, how she smelt. There were so many different Werewolf scents on here. Remember." Preston nodded slowly.

"And?"

"I caught a whiff of several of Wolves while passing the Marriott. They were there. The same ones she smelt like."

Preston didn't know what to say. So the Calvary has finally come just as the coyote claimed they would. The question was how did they find them. Kevin was thinking along the same lines.

"Isn't it funny that the day after we decide that the mutt, Mickey's little pet, was going to die that they arrive." Preston stared as his second.

"You think my brother turned us in? You think my brother, my little brother, betrayed us?" Kevin stepped back as Preston's eyes faded into their Wolf gold.

"Preston, it makes sense. He is attached to the mutt. He never enjoyed their pain as we did. He isn't like us, but he never became attached to one before. Not until her. We never, not once, have been caught. Then just when we are about to get rid of her they just appear. It's too much of a coincidence, Phelim." The sound of his birth name took Preston by surprise. Kevin hadn't called him that in over a century.

"Maybe that's all it is. A coincidence. Kieran. Maybe…" but Preston knew, his wolf knew, it wasn't a coincidence. Mickey had betrayed them.

A feral, heartbroken scream ripped from Preston's soul. He couldn't believe it. His own flesh and blood had betrayed them. He will pay. He will die, along with the bitch. He will watch her suffer.

"Get the kit. If he will betray his pack for a coyote, he will die like one." Preston's voice was cold, but Kevin could hear the barley concealed pain. Kevin slunk from the room without any of his usual comments afraid the sudden moment would make Preston's wolf lash out. But Preston's soft voice stopped him at the door.

"It seems you've finally gotten your wish, Kieran, my old friend." Kevin swung around his wolf eyes glittering.

"How is that, Phelim?" His rough voice was soft, yet harsh.

"Since the night my brother took his first breath all those years ago, you wanted him gone. Don't think I didn't know this. You have been my friend since we were children but he was my brother, my blood and you didn't like the competition. The leverage that kinship gave him. Now here is your best shot to rid yourself him. It took you 239 years but you've finally managed it." Kevin could hear the fire and the heartbreak but his wolf didn't care at the moment.

"So you think that I was just waiting for him to screw up, so I could kill him. Get him out of the way, just so it can go back to when it was just the two of us. To be frank, Phelim..Preston. I don't really care one way or another about the mutt. He's a waste of fur most of the time. He's weak, timid, and scared most of the time. He's not a real WOLF! HE'S NOT LIKE US! So if you ask was I waiting for this to happen. No, but am I sorry that it did. No. Now we can cut off the baggage and really live Phelim." Preston knew that Kevin meant everything he said, and deep down he knew he was right. Despite the promise to his father, Preston was going to kill his brother.

"Go get the kit. We should get in a little more fun before tonight." With a smirk that diffused the tension Kevin walked away.

"The bitch is going to die tonight." Kevin sang as he eyes danced around the 'tool' room. He smiled at the sight of the weapons that hung on the walls. He skipped over to the farthest wall where there were long iron poles. The branding rods. "Which one to use..ummm…" He picked up several, testing the weight, checking the length before picking one. He looked just like a baseball player choosing a perfect bat. "The bitch is gonna die…The bitch is gonna die." He muttered under his breath excitedly. He pocketed the old crescent shaped iron brand before walking back over to the 'goodie' wall. "Now that the opening session is taken care of lets plan the finale." He mocked as he ran his fingers over the gleaming blades. Then he saw the silver stakes. They had used them before, just not on the coyote. His sadistic smirk grew. Tonight was going to be a night he will always remember. He loaded all of the foot long solid silver gleaming stakes into the black duffle bag, and artfully fitted a few daggers before zipping it closed. Yes it was going to be a night to remember.

* * *

Samuel was watching the sun finally set, mentally preparing himself for what they might find, when his phone rang. He stared dumbly at the screaming contraption in confusion. Everyone that would call him was sitting in the room. He answered it on the fourth ring somewhat apprehensively.

"Finally." A female voice sighed. Samuel just stared at the phone for a second.

"hello?"

"Samuel, Its Ariana." Samuel was floored at the mention of his old Fey lover.

"Ariana?" He knew he sounded strangled but he couldn't get his voice to work right.

"There is no time to explain. I have some information for you." Samuel sobered immediately. He knew from experience you need all your wits around you when dealing with the Fey. "Information about what?" "Your Coyote." Her voice was soft but to him it was thunderous. Mercy.

"What about her?" He could hear two other voices' laughing in the background. "The Marrok's son surly knows you will get something for nothing." A voice that sounded like bells replied.

"What is the bargain?" He asked carefully still a little unsure. There was rusting as if the phone was being passed.

"Straight to the point I like it." The bells voice replied.

"The Youngest of the wolves you will meet tonight, isn't who he thinks he is. His father, who was different from the firstborn's, unknown to either brother, had Fey blood. My blood. If you vow to bring him to me, alive, I will tell you all that I know about your Coyote." By then all other conversation in the room had stopped, and all were waiting, and watching. Samuel didn't see much choice. "I vow to try to bring you the kin you speak of back to you. Alive. I give my word of honor."

"I know you will keep your word, Wolf..... I have seen your Coyote's fate. She will not live to see the sunrise if you wait. Go into the woods behind the hotel, there is a path. Go until the twisted sisters block your way. Run towards the setting sun until you come to a meadow. There when the moon is at the highest is where you will find you coyote. Now I hold you to your word Wolf."

"I will keep my word, Fey."

Without another word Samuel hung up, and turned back to his father. "It really is her. Its Mercy." His voice was strangely calm. "With the Fey you never know. They never mentioned Mercy's name, only that we will find a coyote." Bran didn't want Samuel to get his hopes to high. "Its her I know it." He fought back fiercely. Bran only nodded before turning back to the others. "It seems there are more players in this game than we thought. However there is no time to dwell on things like that. We need to make a battle plan."

Once again the Wolves gathered around a area map but they had a new sense of hope and purpose.


	9. Blood Filled Night

"Wake up. Come on, wake up! We don't have much time!"

Mercedes opened her eyes slowly only to find Mickey, eyes wide with terror, staring down at her. Silently she turned into a coyote holding the ragged backpack firmly in her mouth.

"Come on! Your friends found you. They're at the Marriott. You have to get to them. Preston and Kevin have found out they're here. They plan to kill you tonight!" His voice was a panicked whisper as they crept towards the basement window.

"Not tonight dear brother." Mickey whirled around placing the girl behind him.

"Not this time." Mickey growled back staring at the two werewolves in front of him.

"The first time you act like one of us and it's to protect this mutt. Father would be so disappointed. Then again you always were a disappointment. You betrayed your family and your pack. You will be punished."

The very air around them began to crackle as Preston gathered his Alpha power.

"Mikyel McClennon of the Canute pack, for your treachery and disobedience, I hereby sentence you to death." The pain in Preston's voice was heard even through the power. "Bring the coyote, brother. It is time."

Without hesitation Mickey grabbed the very still animal.

"I'm so sorry." He whispered as he followed his Alpha's command to their deaths.

The group followed the path behind the house, through the woods, each one lost in their own thoughts. They came upon the small clearing fairly quickly. Kevin was convinced it was large enough to prevent any sneak attacks but still small enough to smother the screams. Ah, those sweet pain filled terrified screams. He could already hear Mercedes trembles worsen each time the large black bag hit the back of his leg. Each thud was a promise of pain and death.

"Tie her down. Human."

Mercedes didn't move or make a sound as Mickey tied her to the forest floor in a spread eagle fashion. The old wolf muttered apologies the whole time. Once the last knot was tied, Kevin came up behind him, shoved him to the ground, and tied him in a similar way before he knew what was happening.

"Since you love the coyote so much, you will die like her!" Preston roared before plunging a silver stake through his wrist causing the younger brother to howel. Ignoring the grunts of pain, Preston slammed another through his shoulder and elbow. "I trusted you! I gave you everything! For more than TWO HUNDRED YEARS! We are family, brothers, and you betray me. ME!" He pounded another stake through his other wrist in his rage. "Now sit there and watch us kill your friend. Tell me brother was it worth it?"

Kevin sat the now open bag beside Mercedes's head eagerly awaiting orders.

"Brand."

Preston's wolf eyes never left the naked body before him. They could all hear Kevin's eager laugh as he dug through the bag, handing the cold iron brand to Preston.

"Hold her." He barked as he took the lighter from his pocket. "I had hoped to do this under Mother Moon, but sometimes life forces your hand, you know." He gave a shrug as the iron glowed. "Now this is going to hurt. A lot."

She could see his grin just before she felt the searing pain and smelt burning. She couldn't help the gut wrenching scream that escaped her, causing the two werewolves to laugh.

"Well, look at that. She can still scream. Let's see if we can make her do it again." The large knife suddenly appeared in Kevin's hand, glinted on the waning sunlight.

"Leave her alone!" Mickey yelled weakly.

Kevin just laughed before digging out another stake. "No."

He taunted her before sending the stake through the girl's tiny wrist causing her to scream again. She knew it was what they wanted but she couldn't help it.

"Now you shut up." He barked as he walked over to Mickey and plunged two more through his other shoulder and elbow.

"Now where were we?" Preston taunted. "About here, I think."

He picked up Kevin's knife and began slicing her legs enjoying as she squirmed and screamed trying to get away. Her screams excited him thoroughly. He positioned himself between her thighs and entered her roughly as he continued to slice her exposed stomach. He howled in pleasure. He had forgotten just how exciting this part was. He noticed his dominating thrusts were making her staked arm tear causing the blood to flow a little bit more. It just made him laugh. Without stopping his thrusting, he reached for another door long silver stake, and bent down to her ear.

"Scream for me." He whispered just before he staked the other wrist.

He lifted his head to howl as he came inside her as she screamed. He pulled out and smiled smugly at his brother.

"If you would've stayed true, you could've had fun too." He gloated before he slinked over with the bloody blade, waving it so it would catch the fading light. His eyes burned with betrayal. "But you didn't."

With lighting fast reflex only werewolves were able to have, he stabbed his little brother in the chest, careful not to nick an artery. He didn't want Mickey to die before it was time. Preston smiled as he tried to control his breathing.

"Stick around brother. There's still more to see."

Kevin took that as his cue and stabbed defenseless girl through the leg, and Preston held his brother's head forcing him to watch. The two tormentors laughed at her screams before raining their fists and feet on her. She began to pray for death.

As twilight began to bleed onto full dark, and the crescent moon rose, the torture continued. Mercy had silver stakes through both wrists and thighs. There wasn't an inch of her that wasn't bloody and bruised. It hurt to breathe, and her voice was raw. She could barely see through her swelling left eye, but she forced her gaze to Mickey struggling to breathe through the blood in his lungs. Even she could see the silver gleaming in the moonlight. He had three stakes in each arm, and another seven running down each leg. Despite her own pain, the sight her sick.

"Daddy…" Her voice cracked, as she spoke through her swollen bloody lip.

"Your daddy isn't going to save you." Kevin hissed as he slid the tip of his blade from her right temple all the way to the tip of her left hip, slicing deep into her already battered body.

"No one is going to save you. No one cares." Preston said from where he sat by her head. "Just like we always told you."

He laughed once more before slamming a stake onto each shoulder at the same time. The tormentors became enthralled by the gushing blood, and just watch as her eyes began to flutter close. A faint trace of a familiar scent came on the breeze. It caught Kevin's attention immediately.

"They're coming."

He handed Preston the sledgehammer soundlessly, before picking up one himself. The two men stared at one another as the positioned themselves beside the bodies. Preston broke eye contact to stare at his little brother.

"Good bye Mikyel. Tell maw and paw hello."

He gave a short nod to Kevin before landing a blow to the center of Mickey's chest. He quickly grabbed the repacked bag, ready to run, once Kevin was finished.

"Always knew you would die by my hand bitch."

He landed several blows, breaking both her legs and arms, before landing a blow on her torn stomach. The two men ran off laughing.

"DON'T DIE MERCEDES! FIGHT! STAY AWAKE! YOUR FAMILY IS COMING!" His voice was weak. They both knew he was fading quickly.

"So tired." She croaked as her eyes closed.

With extreme effort she lifted her eyes to the moon once more.

"Daddy, where are you?"

She felt the world begin to dim. She watched as the moon became fuzzy and began to darken. Just as her world went black she heard the tale tale sign of something moving in the forest. Something big and it was coming fast.

"Daddy." crossed her lips just as the world went black.


	10. Light at the end of the tunnel

**SORRY TO ALL MY READERS FOR THE LONG DELAY! **

**I don't own any MERCY THOMPSON characters!**

"They're close!" Bran announced not caring who heard them at this point. He just wanted to find the girl. That's when the wind shifted towards them. The scent of blood, lots of blood slammed into the pack causing some to force themselves not to change. They knew for certain the girl was already being brutalized. "Hurry!" He barked unnecessarily as Samuel barreled past him. As they ran the stench of blood just became stronger. Their fear of being too late began to grip the pack. Just as the rising panic began to take hold they heard a tiny voice in the quiet night. "Daddy?" The voice was filled with pain and female. That's all they needed to push them faster and nearly fell over when they broke through the tree line suddenly. They each took in the gruesome sight of the two bodies mutilated and staked. Surely this was the two that they were sent to save. Surely that wasn't their Mercy lying there with their tormentors nowhere in sight. A pain filled groan made the enraged pack come back to reality. "Darryl. Ben. Scout ahead." The Marrok's order came out crisp and cold.

"Wake up Mercedes. You have to hold on." The voice, though broken and weak, Adam recognized as Mickey. "MICKEY!" He yelled running into the clearing towards the informant and the brother they were to save. The Pack were close behind ready for any attacks. They abruptly stopped in front of the battered pair, their stomachs clenching at the sight. "If that is Mickey, than that means….." Bran stared at the battered naked woman and saw his Mercy. It was her. They had finally found her, but just as relief of the discovery began to set in he truly saw the injuries. "Oh my god, SAMUEL!" Sam rushed to his father's side. "Oh my…Mercy! Can you hear me? Please baby, open your eyes! Please!" Samuel's hand flew over her checking for a pulse. He gave a slight sigh of relief when he found a weak one. "Please baby open your eyes. Its daddy. Please, wake up baby. Please?" He continued to plead as he began to bandage her wounds. His growls grew in intensity each time he removed a stake or came to a new section of shredded flesh. His needle was flying away. Samuel could hear Adam start first aide on the other victim but his only thoughts were for his beloved little girl. He couldn't lose her. Not again. He began to pray to every deity he's ever heard of in his long existence. Hoping one would hear and take pity on his daughter.

Bran sat by the battered girl's head petting her hair, just as he had done when she was a scared as a child, feeling helpless. His wolf's rage just built with each passing second. Someone was going to pay for this. Bloodily. He forced his eyes from the brutality and glanced at his older son. His heart broke a little more watching the old wolf beg for the child to open her eyes. Just once. His wolf couldn't take it anymore. The Marrok leapt to his feet. "Adam how is he." The tri-cities Alpha glanced up the Marrok as he took out the last stake. "He's strong. Multiple stab wounds and lesions. Multiple broken bones, and a puncture lung. I've reflated the lung and stitched him up. Only time can tell. He lost a lot of blood." Adam's voice was controlled but the yellow of his eyes revealed just how close his wolf was to coming out. All of this blood and violence wasn't helping. Just then Darryl and Ben returned. "There's a house not far. By the looks of it the people left in a hurry, and recently. Burned rubber could still be smelt." Darryl glanced between the Alphas before dropping his gaze. "I think it is where they kept the girl. Her scent was everywhere. There was a shed out back that looked like some kind of safe room." Bran nodded at the new before turning back to Adam. "Assign two to take the boy there. They will stay with him until he is well enough to travel, or until we can get ahold of that Fey." With a nod Adam once again sent Darryl and Ben away with their fragile and bloody cargo.

Adam and Warren felt almost guilty as they watched Charles, and Bran plead for the child to hang on just a little longer while they touched her face and hair gently. Almost as they were trying to convince themselves she was truly there. Samuel finished his stitching before quickly covering the girl in his overlarge shirt before turning to his father with fear, rage, and hope all raging for control in his eyes. "This is all I can do out here. She needs a hospital, Da." Samuel spoke softly as he took the child into his arms carefully. "We passed one on the way down." Warren, Adam's third, chimed in. Without another word the five werewolves, barely holding onto their human forms, were barreling back through the forest, still sending up prayers.

Bran knew they must've looked a sight when they walked through the doors of the Emergency room. Each of them had their Wolfe eyes showing and Bran could see the leaves stuck in Samuel's hair. The poor receptionist nearly had a heart attack once she noticed the bloody girl wrapped in Samuel's shirt. "We found her in the woods. I'm Dr. Samuel Cornick and I patched her up the best I could but there was so much I could do." The nurse was already paging a doctor and called for a gurney before Samuel was finished explaining. When an orderly tried to take her from Samuel he growled until Bran placed a hand on his shoulder. "He's just trying to help her." Reluctantly he let go but when he tried to follow them an oddly short nurse stood in front of him unafraid. "You will have to stay here please." Without waiting for any kind of response she ran off to join the patient being wheeled away.

"Why won't they tell us anything!" Sam raged for the thousandth time since 'they' had disappeared with his daughter seven hours earlier. The patient man that everyone came to expect the oldest Cornick brother to be was nowhere to be seen. He drew his glare from the swinging doors as if to will news through them. "There was a lot of damage." Was his father's answer each time, but it gave little comfort to his son. Charles had just began to pace again when a wary doctor finally emerged. His eyes locked onto the group almost immediately. His eyes were filled with gratitude and his steps were confident despite his exhausted appearance. "Were you the gentlemen that found that young woman in the woods?" Bran stood slightly in front of the now crowding anxious werewolves. "Yes." Was his short answer.

Bran didn't want to have a long conversation, no he just wanted news on his beloved granddaughter. The doctor shocked the group by shaking Bran's hand. "You saved her life. Even an hour longer, she would've been beyond our help." Hearing that Mercy was indeed still alive allowed the wolves to relax slightly. "What is her prognosis?" The doctor sighed and allowed his face reveal the wariness that he felt. "Whoever got ahold of her did a hell of a job. Her left arm was broken in four places, and whatever she was impaled with in her wrists barley missed the arteries there. The right arm was broken in three places, the collarbone was completely shattered. There was some internal bleeding, but we were able to stop it before it caused any major problems. Both of her legs were broken in multiple places. It looked as if someone had taken a sledgehammer to her. Whoever had stitched her up did a good job, saved us precious time. There is a severe burn of a crescent moon below her left ear." The elderly doctor just sighed completely disgusted with the horrors the young woman must have lived through. "There was evidence of prolonged sexual abuse. Also we found evidence of prolonged abuse, malnutrition, scar tissue, and healing fractures on the X-Ray. Whatever her story she is lucky to be alive." He gave the five large men another appreciative glance before turning back towards the double doors. "Can we see her?" Samuel's voice was that of a broken man. No one had noticed that he had sunk into a chair once the doctor had kept listing injuries, ones that he was supposed to protect her from. "She is being taking to recovery right now. Pending on no complications we will move her up to ICU in an hour. You can see her then." With that the doctor left.

"Adam, call Darryl and see how their patient is doing. Samuel, call Ariana and tell her to pick up the boy." Bran's voice through soft held power only he could, and the men jumped to do his bidding. Just as Samuel pulled out his phone it rang. The receptionist gave him a glare as he answered.

"Hello?"

"Call off the guards. Tell Mutt one and two that all I want is the boy. I won't hurt them if I don't have too." The irritation in the voice made the old Wolfe smile. "It's Ariana." He whispered to his da. "She's at the house we sent Darryl. She wants Mickey." Adam relayed the message to Darryl who apparently opened the door. "You kept your bargain, Wolf." Samuel heard the same Fey from earlier. "You helped saved my Kin. I helped save yours. We are even, Wolf. Yes?" Her voice was pure honey. "Yes. Even." He clipped out before hanging up. "Once they leave get Darryl and Ben to Scout the house. Bring me something to find these bastards." Adam made sure Darryl understood what Bran was expecting before hanging up. Now all they had to do was wait.

An hour later, on cue, a nurse showed them to Mercy's room. Adam and Warren took up post just outside the door to give the family privacy. "Oh Mercy, we've finally found you." Charles, the usually stoic one, clung to the tiny exposed fingers. He couldn't help remember all the times those fingers had gripped his. "Please wake up." Sam took her other hand while carefully stroking her forehead. Bran just stood at the foot of the bed hardly believing what he saw. Despite the stitches, casts, IV's, and bruises he could see her. His Mercy. Alive. Something if he were honest with himself he had begun to lose hope of.

He couldn't recall just how long the three men stared at the motionless girl but the knock at the door brought them out of their memories and back to the painful reality. Darryl had arrived. Excusing himself Bran went out into the hall.

"What did you find?" He demanded softly. Someone was going to pay for what had been done to her. "There was a second shed with a whole arsenal of weapons. Ben is packed it up already. We didn't find anything in the way of photos, or anything with their faces except this." The black second in commanded handed over a picture. "Kevin. Preston. Mickey. Russia 1914." Bran read off the inscription on the back. "Run it through your facial recognition program." He turned his gaze back to Darryl. "Anything else." Soundlessly he handed over a ragged blue backpack. "It was in the basement where we found a bare filthy cage. It's defiantly where they kept her." Darryl's voice held his barely contained rage. He couldn't imagine the things they did to the child. "Thank you. Take Ben, and go back to the hotel. We will join you later. Rest." Bran didn't wait for a response before he slipped back into Mercy's room. "Whatcha got?" Charles immediately noticed the bag and tried to place why it looked familiar. Bran silently pulled out the pink and brown bear. "Oh my god. That's Mercy's." Charles took the bear carefully almost as if he was afraid to break it. None of the men could miss the scents that assaulted their senses that lingered on the soft fabric, new and old ones. The terror, pain, tears, and blood. "I will kill all those responsible." Sam whispered closing his eyes. "We all will brother." Bran sat the bag on the edge of the couch where it promptly fell spilling the pictures across the floor.

Curious Bran picked them up. He smiled for the first time since the Fey's call when he noticed the picture of Samuel holding a tiny Mercy with her bear. "Look." He passed it to Sam. "My little miracle." He whispered. He stared up at his father with tears in his eyes. "We really found her." Bran Cornick, Marrok of North America, placed a soothing hand on his oldest son's shoulder, as he willed away his own tears. "Yes, we really found her." He gave the other photos to the worried father before settling into the room's uncomfortable couch.

Twelve hours had passed and Bran had long sent Adam and Warren to the hotel as the Cornick boys all refused to leave the room. They were all in various states of slumber in the silent room when a small noise jolted them all awake. They each stayed still to see if it would it happen again.

"Daddy?"

**********************************LOVE IT? HATE IT? PLEASE R&R!


	11. Another song

Silence. They all held their breath as they waited for another sound, anything to tell them that Mercy had woken up. But there was only silence. "I'm going for coffee, want any?" Charles announced suddenly. The other two men nodded silently, and with a sigh he left. "Has Adam found anything yet?" Sam couldn't look away from his daughter. Bran stood up and walked to the window with a defeated sigh, even though they had gotten their little girl back the sick bastards were still out there. "Nothing yet. These men are careful, and organized. But right now they are on the run, and know that we are closer to catching them, so they will slip up sooner or later. When they do son, we'll be right there. Do not lose faith, we will make them pay. Harshly." Bran's eyes had lightened to their wolf white. "How can anyone do this? Treat someone like this?" Samuel had seen so much in his long years, but he had never been able to understand how anyone can treat a person like a toy. Something made only for their use and abuse. Bran sighed once more for he had no answer for his son. Samuel closed his eyes as continued to stroke her hair. Bran walked to the other side of the bed and stared down at the still form of his granddaughter. "We know who they are, and what they look like now. They will not escape punishment. Not this time. Not when it was my family they messed with." Samuel could see the anger bubbling underneath his father's calm. "Not this time." He whispered once more before walking out leaving his son alone with his daughter.

"Please open your eyes baby girl. Let me see those beautiful brown eyes. I miss you so much. I love you so much. Nothing will harm you ever again. I promise." With another shuddering breath he began so sing.

"Golden slumbers kiss your eyes ,Smiles await you when you rise; Sleep, pretty baby ,Do not cry, And I will sing away trouble you know not, therefore sleep; While I watch over you do not weep; Sleep, pretty loved one ,Do not cry ,And I will sing, I will sing, I will sing a lullaby."

"That's beautiful." A woman whispered from the open doorway. Samuel whipped around and noticed a candy striper standing there with a tear in her eye. "I sang it to her when she was little." She nodded before walking a little ways into the room holding something behind her back. "They can hear you." Samuel stared at the woman in confusion. "Your daughter. People in coma's can hear their loved ones. At least that is what I believe. Talk to her. Let her know your hear. She'll wake up." She walked a little father into the room before pulling out a tiny brown and pink bear. Samuel gave her a strange look. "I noticed this in the room last night, covered in blood and grime. We, the other nurses and I, figured that it belonged to her, and she had it when she disappeared." Sam could only stare and nod. "Well, we figured that it's something familiar and probably brought her comfort. Every little bit helps." The girl gave a nervous laugh. "Anyway we didn't want to give it to her while it was covered in grime and blood. So we washed it." She handed the doll over as if it was precious, and somehow it truly was. "Thank you." He whispered softly unsure what else to say. With another smile the young woman walked away.

Samuel nodded as he turned back to his little girl, placing the bear, now smelling of Gain and lavender under her arm. Charlie walked in balancing three cups of hospital coffee. Sam grimaced slightly before taking the offered caffeine. "Anything?" Charles asked quietly as he reclaimed the uncomfortable chair by the door. Sam only shook his head as he took a long draw on his coffee. Moments later Bran walked in putting his phone away in his pocket. Charles silently handed his father the lukewarm cup and once again the three Cornick men sat in silent watch over praying that Mercy will come back to them. Each one plotting how to end the lives of the wolves responsible. Each one more creative than the last, but each vision had one thing in common. The two wolves would die screaming.

A groan from the bed brought all three men to high alert, but none moved afraid that it was a false alarm again. Another pain filled moan brought the three men to their feet, each one feeling helpless. "Daddy?" her voice was gravelly, and thick, but no one cared. She spoke. Her eyes fluttered open slowly, but kept trying to close again. They watched as she fought to keep her eyes open. Finally she was able to fully open them, only then did she begin taking in her surroundings.

Her brown eyes once so full of life were lifeless and haunted. Her left eye was all but swollen shut. It broke their hearts. "Daddy?" She croaked again her gaze trained on Samuel. "Yes, baby girl. Its me." The huge man crept slowly across the room with a tiny cup of water. Her eyes never wavered from him even as some of the cool liquid ran down her chin. "I knew you would find me." She whispers softly. "Don't leave." Her voice barely auditable, to all but those with wolf hearing, before drifting back to sleep. "Don't worry. I'm not going anywhere." He promised bending down to kiss her forehead, but even sleeping she curled away from the touch. Watching her flinch away shattered something inside the old wolf. His entire being ached at the sight of her broken body. Before he could comment a stern looking middle aged nurse came bustling in. "Okay, gentlemen. Will you please excuse us. Visiting hours are over and Miss Cornick needs her rest. You can come back in the morning." They could tell from her tone that she meant business. "I'm not leaving." Samuel stated not bothering to turn away from his daughter. "Only one then. The other two must go home. Rest. Shower. Eat." With that she gave another dose of pain medication into the IV before leaving. "We'll be back in the morning." Bran squeezed the tiny exposed hand, still in shock they had found her. With another quiet goodbye Bran and Charlie slipped out.

"In joyous news, Mercy Cornick was reunited with her family today when late last night a group of good Samaritans found the missing girl brutalized, in a clearing deep in the woods surrounding Canute. Mercy, if you remember, was kidnapped from her hometown in Montana over seven years ago. She had been barely 14…" The news anchor was interrupted by a fist going through the television. "Cornick. We had the bloody MARROK'S family all this time!" Preston raged. He was mostly livid that the girl survived but the truth of her identity was an added irritation. "If she truly was one of his then we really go to get out of the country." Kevin told his friend from across the cheap motel. They had been lucky that Preston had thrown a few duffel bags of clothes into the back of the pickup just in case they had to leave in a hurry. "We'll go back to Ireland. Start over. Find another girl. Human. Wait a couple of decades then come back and kill the bitch. NO one has ever gotten away and she won't be the first. We will kill her." Preston agreed with his childhood friend knowing he was right. "Later then. Let's go to the airport before our faces get out." Preston called a cab while Kevin drove the truck down the lane before setting it on fire. "You will die by my hand bitch." He vowed before running back to the waiting taxi. As the two drove away sirens were heard in the distance. The two just smiled.


	12. Author NOTE

ON HIATUS:

Things in my reality have been very difficult these past several months. I was diagnosed with a growth in my brain, and have been undergoing treatment for it. I'm sorry to all my readers that have been waiting for updates, but as most have already realized it won't happen for a little longer yet. Hopefully within the next several weeks, I will be able to return to the worlds I have created.

-AREALABLOVER


	13. NEW AUTHOR NOTE

Many of people have read my sister's stories over the years and she had gain much joy in knowing that people out there, besides family, enjoyed her writing as well as we did. My sister not long ago posted about her medical condition, stating that she would be postponing her stories. Most are written out, just needed to be typed up and posted. That will be my job for the time being. My sister's joy in life was her writing, her imagination wasn't like any i've ever seen. She had undergone surgery 10 days ago, and didn't wake up again. My sister before she went under had asked me to finish her work, knowing the risks involved with the procedure she wanted to make sure that someone would finished what she started if she couldn't. My sister was full of live, and love. She gave me this one task, and i will see it through. i won't be able to update like she did, but hopefully she will be proud once they are all complete. I know i was proud of her always. Thank you for your understanding, and prayers.

-The family of AREALABLOVER


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